Search Results

The violence along the Israel-Gaza border has spiraled out of control. In fact, it will likely get worse before it gets better. The background: in order to understand what is going on today it is necessary to put it in the Barbra Tuchman, "Looking back from the light on the stern." The two million or so Palestinians living in Gaza are led by Hamas, extreme as they get, focused on the destruction of the Jewish State. It's no two-state solution - it's winner takes all. In the Six-Day War, the IDF occupied Gaza and Israel came and built settlements there. However, in 2005, PM Ariel Sharon dismantled all the settlements and withdrew IDF forces to the Israeli border. Now, instead of exploiting Israel's pullback and seeking a similar withdrawal from the occupied West Bank, the Palestinians converted Gaza into a launchpad for terrorism against Israel. (This despite the fact that American officials quietly advised the Palestinians to call off the terrorism as this would enable them to seek a similar Israeli pullout from the West Bank.) However, this would have required the Palestinians to recognize Israel as the Jewish State. This would have meant the Palestinian refugees would not be returning to their former homes in Israel.

What motivated a 52-year-old citizen, born and bred in Britain, to attack the sacred 'Mother of Parliaments' while running over, stabbing and shooting scores of his fellow countrymen? It was yet another road mark in the 'Clash of Civilizations' that radical Islam is waging world-wide. Even Canada, with no imperial past to atone for, was targeted in October 2014. The British terrorist, Adrian Elms, was apparently converted to Islam in prison when he served a term for stabbing, and adopted his new name of Khalid Masood. Daesh has confirmed he acted in its name. What may have sent him around the bend may have been the heavy bombing now being inflicted by the US-led coalition on the Daesh force in the Iraqi city of Mosul. The Daesh 'capital city' of Raqqa in Syria is next in line. In response, Daesh Internet has adopted the old Marxist battle-cry with its version, 'Muslims of the world unite - come and join our forces in the Middle East, but if you cannot, kill the infidels wherever you can!'

It was not Israel's finest hour. State Comptroller Yosef Shapira has lambasted both Israel's political and military echelons for their conduct before and during the 'Protective Edge' military campaign against Hamas in Gaza in the summer of 2014. Sixty-eight Israelis and five civilians were killed in the war that was triggered by the Hamas kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank. Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon and IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz barely received a passing mark. They were all found to be at fault for their failure to prepare to deal with the tunnels dug by Hamas under the border into Israel that cost many Israeli lives.

Surprise, surprise! President Obama, Secretary Kerry and senior adviser Ben Rhodes were all lying through their teeth over the Iranian nuclear deal. The only surprising thing is that Rhodes didn't even wait until after the Obama administration leaves office in January. On the contrary, Rhodes revels in how he and the rest of the administration turned the Washington press corps into an 'echo chamber' for the administration's spiel, without checking out the facts. In effect, Rhodes, in a mind-meld with Obama, lied to the American people, the US Congress, and the entire world.

One of the most controversial issues of the Yom Kippur Protocols were the comments by Defense Minister Moshe Dayan that IDF soldiers, cut off in their fortified outposts along the Suez Canal, would be left to their fate. This flies in the face of the IDF's tradition of not leaving soldiers behind to be killed or captured by the enemy. In an extraordinary twist of fate, IsraCast's Avi Yaffe was doing reserve duty as a radio operator at the Porkan outpost that was surrounded by the Egyptians opposite Ismailiya. Yaffe was in radio contact with Gen. Sharon during the first days of the war including the soldiers daring trek through Egyptian lines back to safety. After the war was over, Yaffe interviewed Sharon who revealed that he could have saved the trapped soldiers in the outposts, most of whom were later captured or killed by the Egyptian forces. In light of publication of the Yom Kippur Protocols, Avi Yaffe has now decided to make public this exclusive and historic interview on his IsraCast website.

Jerusalem: It was only a matter of time - a Palestinian terrorist has again driven his vehicle at high speed into Israelis at a crowded intersection in Jerusalem. One Israeli border policeman was killed and thirteen other people were injured, several of them seriously. After deliberately crashing into the Israelis near a light rail station, the terrorist jumped from his van wielding an iron bar and clubbed bystanders. More policemen arrived quickly to shoot dead the attacker. Hamas has claimed responsibility for what it termed "the heroic running over operation." The assailant has been identified as Ibrahim Akari, a thirty-five year old resident from the nearby Shuafat refugee camp. He was the brother of one of the terrorists released by Israel in exchange for the kidnapped Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit. The brother, who had murdered another policeman, was banished from Israel to Turkey, where President Erdogan has reportedly permitted Hamas to set up shop.

The deaths of 13 Israeli infantrymen killed in house-to-house fighting with Hamas in Sajaiya has shocked and saddened Israel. In a news conference with Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, Prime Minister Netanyahu declared: “We are fighting for our very home and we are determined to win this battle. No other war has been so justified as the IDF's campaign to halt Hamas rocketing of Israeli civilians.” Make no mistake, Israel is determined that the deaths of the Golani soldiers will not be in vain. The country's leaders and people are resolved to follow through and prevent another rocket blitz of Israel or tunnel attack whenever the Hamas Islamists in Gaza decide to do so. Netanyahu noted that many world leaders, starting with U.S. President Barack Obama, had expressed understanding for Israel's right of self-defense. Even more telling were the countries in the region (Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan) who were also in Israel's corner. The only two countries rooting for Hamas were Iran and Qatar.

It is the mindset of the Palestinian terrorists – 'we exist to kill and wound Israelis and annihilate the Jewish state'. That is their credo, and why they split from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah movement that opposes terror. For the third time in six years, Hamas unleashed their heaviest barrage of rockets for seven straight days and nights. Granted, they sent millions of Israeli children, women and men dashing for bomb shelters, but at the time of the ceasefire proposal, they had not killed even one Israeli, and only a small number were injured.

Hamas will likely rue the day it kidnapped three Israeli teens on the West Bank. Israeli leaders have declared war on Hamas military and social infrastructure in the West Bank while angry Palestinian President Abbas declares: 'Hamas is trying to destroy us'. IsraCast Assessment: Israel has taken off the gloves - top Hamas leaders should offer to immediately release three youths, if Israel calls off its systematic campaign to arrest Hamas members and close down its social assets on West Bank. Otherwise, Israeli campaign will continue and Hamas leadership could wind up on a new Israeli hit list. One of the most massive manhunts in Israeli history continues around the clock. For over seven days, Israeli troops and policemen backed up by the Shabak Security Service have been scouring the West Bank searching for the Hamas terrorists who are believed to have kidnapped three Israeli hitch-hikers.

It was highly significant that U.S. President Barack Obama selected West Point as the venue to articulate his foreign and military policy. Without saying it in so many words Obama sent a message loud and clear - America has abdicated its role of 'policeman of the world'. Obama has jettisoned the projection of American military power that characterized his predecessor George W. Bush. Addressing the graduating cadets, their commander-in-chief told them: “The U.S. will use military force, unilaterally if necessary, when our core interests demand it - when our people are threatened, when our livelihoods are at stake; when the security of our allies is in danger.” But his punch line related to global issues that do not directly threaten the U.S.: "Then the threshold of military action must be much higher. In such circumstances, we should not go it alone. Instead, we must mobilize allies and partners to take collective action." The truth is this has been a cornerstone of Obama's policy of 'leading from behind' in the Middle East, as exemplified by the crises in Libya and currently in Syria. Clearly, Obama's refusal to make good on his warning that Assad would face the consequences if he repeated his use of chemical weapons has actually tipped the scales in favor of the regime against the rebels.

Regional implications: First, Israel will not allow Egypt's President Mohammed Morsi to hold Israeli peace treaty as ransom for Gaza rocketing of Israel. Second, after rise of Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Hamas felt it could cross Israel's red line with impunity. Analyst David Essing is of the view that Israel will also react with the necessary force, if Iran crosses Israel's nuclear red line this spring.

Israel's patience is wearing thin after repeated rocket attacks from Gaza have paralyzed much of southern Israel and forced over one million Israeli civilians into their bomb shelters for days on end. This was the message from IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz in a closed door briefing to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. Later the IDF spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yoav Mordechai, told reporters that only 'an intiated and planned IDF operation' could put a stop to the Palestinian rocketing of Israeli civilians. David Essing has this assessment of the current calm that may prove to be the quiet before the storm, if the Palestinian decide to launch more missiles into Israel.

Israeli leaders are now going back to the drawing board for drafting a new policy for prisoner exchanges. In a media blitz to the Israeli public, Defense Minister Ehud Barak has indicated the government will not carry out another lopsided prisoner swap - 1027 Palestinian terrorists for one kidnapped IDF soldier. After remaining silent during the recent public debate, Opposition leader Tzipi Livni of the Kadima party has now condemned the exchange as a blow to Israel that has strengthened Hamas and weakened the more moderate West Bank President Mahmoud Abbas.

Israel has welcomed Sgt. Gilad Shalit with a massive outpouring of love and relief while also bracing for a new wave of Hamas terror attacks. In the Palestinian camp, the return of 1027 terrorists for one Israeli soldier is being viewed as a 'glorious victory' and a precedent for gaining the release of some 5,000 other terrorists now serving time in Israeli prisons. Prime Minister Netanyahu's government will likely consider a different, more tougher, approach that could not be adopted while Shalit was being held in a Hamas dungeon.

If all goes according to plan, IDF Sergeant Gilad Shalit will be exchanged for 1027 Palestinian terrorists on October 18th. Although Israel refused to free some top Hamas terrorists, Hamas claims that it achieved 'more than 90% of its demands'. Hamas chief Haled Meshal has also indicated that he will launch more attacks to kidnap IDF soldiers to use as bargaining chips for freeing the remaining 8,000 terrorists serving time in Israeli prisons. Nonetheless, IsraCast analyst David Essing is of the view that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has massive public support for the lopsided prisoner swap.

All quiet on Israel's new front with Egyptian-controlled Sinai and Hamas-dominated Gaza, but for how long? The eight days of violence, triggered by the deadly Sinai attacks that killed eight Israelis, has strained Israeli- Egyptian relations more than any thing else since the signing of the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty in 1979. Israel's top analysts have been assessing the current state of affairs after the border clash and the Palestinian diplomatic steps at the UN for recognition of a Palestinian state on the lines of 1967. David Essing sums up the views of Dr. Dore Gold, a former UN Ambassador and head of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs who has documented Al Qaeda's recent move into Sinai.

The week in Israel ended with some surprising developments. According to the Yediot Ahronot daily, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman is about to propose a dramatic plan to lift Israel's naval blockade of Gaza and hand over control to countries from the European Union. The latest aid ship bound for Gaza complied with Israel's naval blockade and agreed to change course for Al Arish, Egypt without provoking violence. Meanwhile, U.S. envoy George Mitchell has met with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on the West Bank. However Abbas, who fears condemnation from Hamas, may not agree to return to direct talks with Israel, unless he gets the green light from the Arab League.

Recently Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met President Barack Obama in the White House, on July 6th it will be the turn of Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. According to the London based Al- Hayat newspaper, Abbas has now presented the U.S. with a series of proposals starting with Israeli acceptance of the future borders for a Palestinian state. However, Netanyahu has declared he would discuss Palestinian proposals only within the framework of direct negotiations not in the current 'proximity talks' being brokered by special U.S. envoy George Mitchell. IsraCast analyst David Essing says Abbas is seeking U.S. agreement on the final borders for a Palestinian state as a pre-condition for direct negotiations with Israel.

Aviva Shalit wrote an open letter to her son Gilad Shalit, an Israel Defense Forces soldier who was captured on June 25, 2006 by Palestinian militants in a cross-border raid. He has been held as a prisoner in the Gaza Strip by Hamas since then. Hamas has refused requests from the International Committee of the Red Cross to allow the ICRC to visit Shalit.

In the early hours of the day, Israeli naval commandos slid down ropes from hovering helicopters onto the six ships that were trying to break Israel's blockade of the Hamas controlled Gaza Strip. The flotilla's organizers had repeatedly ordered the flotilla to steer a course for the Israeli port of Ashdod and unload their humanitarian aid there to be checked for explosives and weapons before they were sent on to Gaza. On at least one of the ships, the soldiers were met with fierce resistance causing casualties. IsraCast analyst David Essing is of the view that while rockets continue to be launched from Gaza into Israel, Israel's message is that such ships will not pass.